WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/27/14

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National / International News

 

<> EPA Proposes Approval of New Climate-Friendly Refrigerants - EPA is proposing to increase the options for refrigerants in the United States that offer better climate protection without harming the ozone layer. This is the agency's first action that addresses refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan, which calls on EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and approve additional climate-friendly chemicals. . .

<> House Approves Bill to Lower Gasoline Prices and Create over One Million New American Jobs - The House of Representatives passed H.R. 4899, the Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act, with a bipartisan vote of 229-185. This legislation would help ease the pain at the pump. . .

• H.R.4899 - Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America That Works Act of 2014 Legislative details

<> The Renewable Fuel Standard: Issues for 2014 and Beyond - Using the rising amounts of renewable transportation fuels required by the Renewable Fuel Standard will be difficult. In this 38-page report the Congressional Budget Office looks at how those requirements and alternatives would affect fuel and food prices and greenhouse gas emissions.

<> CASAC Review of the EPA's Second Draft Policy Assessment for the Review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards - "The CASAC advises that, based on the scientific evidence, a level of 70 ppb provides little margin of safety for the protection of public health, particularly for sensitive subpopulations. . ."

• Background, Meetings & Reports

<> House Hearing On Management Failures: Oversight of the EPA - House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing with testimony and webcast of Sens David Vitter (R-LA) & Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI); and EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy

<> Energy Department Launches Microgrid Competition to Support Resiliency in Communities Across America - The Challenge encourages organizations with operational microgrids, such as hospitals and water treatment plants, to submit their microgrid designs and operational data – such as when and how long the microgrid was disconnected from the traditional grid -- deadline for applying is August 29, 2014.

<> Senators: EPA's Attempts to Expand Authority Now Affecting Military Bases - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, led a group of seven Senators in sending a letter to Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator of the Office of Water at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regarding EPA's attempts to impose stormwater regulations upon American military bases and the Agency's controversial proposal to expand their federal authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

<> Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces the 2014 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants to Support Climate Resilience and Green Infrastructure - June 26, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the 2014 USDA Forest Service's National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge grant recipients.

<> Sen. Murkowski Advances Legislation to Improve Coordination on Energy-Water Issues - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) advanced legislation -- the Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability (NEWS) Act (S. 1971) -- to improve the efficiency of the federal government in addressing issues related to the interdependence of energy and water.

• Subcommittee hearing on S.1971, testimony & webcast

<> Murkowski: United States is Only Advanced Nation to Ban Oil Exports - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) released a report that finds that the United States is the only advanced nation in the world with a ban on oil exports. The report – A Ban for One: The Outdated Prohibition on U.S. Oil Exports in Global Context – shows that of the 34 member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the U.S. is the only member to prohibit oil exports.

<> Public Interest Groups Call on Obama to Cease Delays and Finalize Hazardous Waste Requirements - A large coalition of 200 environmental justice, public health and green organizations in a letter Thursday called on President Obama to fulfill a consent decree by finalizing a proposed rule that would strengthen safeguards governing billions of pounds of hazardous waste that were excluded from regulation in 2008.

<> NASA To Launch First CO2 Observing Satellite - Scheduled for launch July 1, 2014 at 2:56 AM, Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) will be NASA's first dedicated Earth remote sensing satellite to study atmospheric carbon dioxide from Space.

<> EPA's Climate Justice in Action Map & Stories - Over summer of 2014, EPA has launched the Climate Justice in Action blog series to focus on the unequal burdens climate change places on low income and minority communities – add your story. . .

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Water – Final Rule. U.S. EPA. - Expedited Approval of Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act; Analysis and Sampling Procedures PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/26/14

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National / International News

 

<> Boxer Statement: Press Conference with Transportation Leaders to Signal Highway Trust Fund Facing a Mayday Situation – "Today, we are facing a mayday situation, and I am here to send an SOS call to Congress and the American people. We are on the verge of a Transportation Government Shutdown. . . MAP-21, expires on September 30th, and without action to extend the Highway Trust Fund, all payments to states stop on October 1st.

<> EPA Releases Final Risk Assessment on Trichloroethylene (TCE)/ Agency begins process to address potential human health risks - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final risk assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE). The assessment identified health risks from TCE exposures to consumers using spray aerosol. . .

<> Major-US-companies-facing-climate-change-related-risks-and-costs -

Major U.S. public companies from all economic sectors now facing climate change related risks and costs, a new report from Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). . . a State-by-State analysis of the business response to climate change, shows companies across America are factoring global warming into their business planning because they see climate action as a prudent way to build competitive advantage for their firms nationally and globally.

<> Senators: EPA is Cherry-Picking Science in New Chemical Risk Assessment - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee sent a letter to Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator of the U.S. EPA regarding how the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) conducts chemical risk assessments. . .

<> APGA Expresses Opposition to Udall-Landrieu LNG Export Legislation - On June 25, American Public Gas Association expressed concern to Chairman Landrieu (D-LA) of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senator Udall (D-CO)—also of the committee—regarding their recently introduced legislation. . . "As every study on the issue has shown, exporting LNG increases the domestic price of natural gas. This means that whether you are a homeowner, small business, or large industrial enterprise, exporting LNG increases the prices you pay for not just energy but also the goods and services that have the cost of energy built into them. . ."

• S.2494 - Natural Gas Export Promotion Act of 2014 Legislative Details
• House Approves Bill to Boost Gas Exports, Create Jobs - The House of Representatives today approved H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act, by a bipartisan vote of 266 to 150.
• H.R.6 - Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act Legislative Details

<> Calling on Congress to Eliminate Outdated and Duplicative Reporting Requirements - Every year, Congress requires Federal agencies to produce thousands of written reports and plans on far ranging topics. While these reports and plans often provide useful information for legislative decision-making, oversight, and public. . .

<> New Energy Efficiency Standards for Furnace Fans to Reduce Carbon Pollution, Help Americans Save on Energy Bills - The new standard for furnace fans will help reduce harmful carbon pollution by up to 34 million metric tons – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 4.7 million homes – and save Americans over $9 billion in home electricity bills through 2030.

<> Senators Push Administration for Expanded Offshore Drilling in Next 5-Year OCS Leasing Plan - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee sent a letter to Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Department of Interior, regarding the Department's oil and gas leasing plan for 2017 through 2022 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

<> Sportsmen: Energy bill would gut leasing reforms - Hunters, anglers reject assault on balanced energy development and the public's right to speak out on decisions affecting their lands. . .

<> Request for Information for Environmental Impact Minimization Technologies and Field Testing Opportunities - June 25, 2014. The Energy Department's Wind Program is seeking feedback from the wind industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders regarding a potential funding opportunity to advance the readiness of environmental impact minimization technologies through investments in technology development and field testing.

<> NREL and General Motors Announce R&D Partnership to Reduce Cost of Automotive Fuel Cells - The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and General Motors (GM) are partnering on a multiyear, multimillion dollar joint effort to accelerate the reduction of automotive fuel cell stack costs through fuel cell. . .

<> Carbon Storage in U.S. Eastern Ecosystems Helps Counter Greenhouse Gas Emissions Contributing to Climate Change - Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell released a new report showing that forests, wetlands and farms in the eastern United States naturally store 300 million tons of carbon a year (1,100 million tons of CO2), which is nearly 15 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions EPA estimates the country emits each year or an amount that exceeds and offsets yearly U.S. car emissions.

<> New tests find bee-killing pesticides in 51% of "bee-friendly" plants from garden centers across U.S. and Canada - Metro Detroit plants found to contain the hazardous pesticide [DETROIT, MI]– Many "bee-friendly" home garden plants sold at Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have been pre-treated with pesticides. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Asarco LLC v. Goodwin - 6/25/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, Case No. 13-3954. The Panel concluded that the district court properly dismissed Asarco's direct contribution claims because they are barred by the applicable three‐year statute of limitations, and that its subrogation claims were properly dismissed because Asarco is not a subrogee.   

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Hazardous Waste - Final Rule - Revisions to the Export Provisions of the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Rule PDF | Text | 

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/25/14

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National / International News

<> Our Climate Action Progress: One-Year Report - President Barack Obama delivers remarks on climate change, at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., June 25, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The effects of climate change are already being felt across the. . .

• PROGRESS REPORT: President Obama's Climate Action Plan - Today – one year after the President laid out his comprehensive Climate Action Plan – the White House released a new report detailing progress towards cutting carbon pollution and protecting our communities and public. . .

<> House Approves Bipartisan Bill to Build North American Energy Projects - The House of Representatives approved H.R. 3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, by a bipartisan vote of 238 to 173.

• Access Legislative Details For H.R.3301

<> US approves two permits for crude exports - The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night that in two unannounced rulings the Commerce Department gave permissions to Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and Enterprise Products Partners LP to sell a kind of ultralight oil know as condensate to foreign buyers.

<> Members Urge Support for LNG Exports, Say #Yes2Energy and Jobs - The House of Representatives today kicked off debate on H.R. 6, the Domestic Prosperity and Global Freedom Act. The legislation is a "commonsense, bipartisan solution to expedite the export of U.S. natural gas". . .

<> Government Gives Flawed Advice for Eating Fish, Ignores New Science - A federal advisory encouraging pregnant women, nursing mothers and children to eat more seafood fails to protect them from methylmercury exposure and guide them to better fish choices, according to a new analysis released today by Environmental Working Group and the Mercury Policy Project.

<> Scientists Release Landmark 'Worldwide Assessment' of Bee-Harming Pesticides, Call for Global Action - 29 scientists review over 800 peer-reviewed publications and urge more restrictions on neonicotinoid . . .

<> Secretary Jewell to Release Biological Carbon Storage Assessment for Eastern United States - Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell on Wednesday will release the results of a comprehensive assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey. . . (TBA at 1:00 pm EDT)

• Access link to the release when it is issued

<> Senators Urge Majority Leader to Allow Floor Vote on Keystone XL - U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today called for a vote on bipartisan legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

<> NASA Launches Earth Science Challenges with OpenNEX Cloud Data - NASA is launching two challenges to give the public an opportunity to create innovative ways to use data from the agency's Earth science satellites. The challenges will use the Open NASA Earth Exchange. OpenNEX is a data. . .

<> U-M and partners predict average Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone,' slightly above-average in ... - A University of Michigan researcher and his colleagues are forecasting an average but still large "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico this year. . .

<> Building a Stronger Foundation for Philanthropic Energy Investments - Building a Stronger Foundation for Philanthropic Energy Investments A series of energy finance roundtables are helping the Energy Department learn more about common barriers to clean energy investment -- and formulate solutions. . .

<> Beach Report: 10 Percent of America's Beach Water Samples Fail Safety Test - Ten percent of all water quality samples collected last year from nearly 3,500 coastal and Great Lakes beaches in the U.S. contained bacteria levels that failed to meet. . .

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Wednesday, June 25, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Nothing We're Tracking Today (click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/24/14

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National / International News

<> Risky Business Report Finds That U.S. Regions and Business Sectors Face Significant Economic Risks From Climate Change - The American economy could face significant and widespread disruptions from climate change unless U.S. businesses and policymakers take immediate action to reduce climate risk, according to a new report released today.

• Official Statements From Members of the Risky Business Project Risk Committee About New Report - Michael Bloomberg, Hank Paulson, Tom Steyer, Henry Cisneros, Gregory Page, Robert Rubin, Donna Shalala, George Shultz, Olympia Snowe, & Al Sommer

<> Ten Ways to Strengthen American Democracy - By Olympia Snowe and Dan Glickman: Jun. 24, 2014. The current level of dysfunction in Washington is nothing like we could have ever imagined when we began our journeys in public service. . . [from the Bipartisan Policy Center]

<> Congressional Reaction To Supreme Court Decision:

• Upton and Whitfield Respond to SCOTUS Decision on Greenhouse Gases
• Vitter: SCOTUS Ruling Grants EPA Enough Leniency to Continue Making Up Numbers, Science
• Rep. Waxman Statement on Supreme Court's Decision in UARG v. EPA

<> Industry Reaction To Supreme Court Decision:

• ACC Welcomes Supreme Court Ruling in Greenhouse Gas Case (American Chemistry Council)
• API welcomes high court decision EPA carbon rules (American Petroleum Institute)
• NAM Applauds SCOTUS Ruling on EPA's GHG Regulations (National Association of Manufacturers)

<> Enviros Reaction To Supreme Court Decision:

• U.S. Supreme Court Holds that Large New and Rebuilt Industrial Emitters Must Use Best Available Controls for Climate Pollution When Discharging Other Major Pollutants (Environmental Defense Fund)
• Supreme Court Reaffirms EPA's Authority to Act on Climate (Sierra Club)
• Supreme Court Upholds EPA's Authority to Limit Carbon PollutionSupreme Court Upholds EPA's Authority to Limit Carbon Pollution (Earthjustice)
• Supreme Court Again Upholds EPA's Authority to Fight Global Warming (Center for Biological Diversity)
• Supreme Court Reaffirms EPA Authority to Curb Power Plant Carbon Pollution (Natural Resources Defense Council)

<> The Pipeline Safety Dilemma: The US Department Of Transportation's Slow ... - As of June 2014, even though nearly 30 months have passed since the 2011 Pipeline Safety Act was signed into law, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) has not promulgated any of the new substantive safety rules contemplated by the Act.

<> GAO-14-545, Advanced Reactor Research: DOE Supports Multiple Technologies, but Actions Needed to Ensure a Prototype Is Built, June 23, 2014 - The Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee has criticized the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy's (NE) approach, recommending that NE focus its efforts on a smaller number of technologies to help ensure that a reactor prototype is deployed.

<> Webinar: EISPC Energy Zones Mapping Tool Demonstration - A webinar demonstration of the Eastern Interconnection States' Planning Council (EISPC) Energy Zones (EZ) Mapping Tool, a free online mapping tool for identifying areas in all 39 EISPC states that may be suitable for new clean power generation.

<> BOEM Issues First Renewable Energy Lease for MHK Technology Testing in Federal Waters - The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued the first ever lease to test marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy devices in federal waters to Florida Atlantic University to deploy experimental demonstration devices in an area located approximately 10 to 12 nautical miles from the coast Fort Lauderdale, FL.

<> Secretary Jewell Applauds Designation of Poverty Point in Louisiana as Nation's 22nd World Heritage Site – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today applauded the decision by the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to inscribe the prehistoric Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point. . .

 

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

 

<> Asarco LLC v. Union Pacific - In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, Case No. 13-1435. ASARCO sought contribution from Union Pacific, et al defendants, under CERCLA. The district court ruled that ASARCO's direct contribution claim was time-barred under CERCLA and the Appeals Court Panel agreed.

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Water - Proposed Rule. U.S. EPA & Army Corpos of Engineer - Definition of "Waters of the United States" Under the Clean Water Act; Extension of Comment Period PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

 

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/23/14

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National / International News

<> [OP-ED] The Coming Climate Crash - Lessons for Climate Change in the 2008 Recession - There is a time for weighing evidence and a time for acting. Op-Ed by Henry M. Paulson Jr. is the chairman of the Paulson Institute at the University of Chicago who served as secretary of the Treasury from July 2006 to January 2009.

<> Open letter from the Chairman and President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development - Climate change is the most critical of all sustainable development challenges. Left unchecked, it will set back all other development objectives and pose athreat to all people, regardless of economic status, race, sex or. . .

<> NCDC Releases May 2014 Global Climate Report - The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for May 2014 was the highest for May since 1880. . .

<> GOP Members Introduce H.R. 4899 - House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) and 12 other GOP members have introduced The Lowering Gasoline Prices to Fuel an America that Works Act.

<> Report Reveals Companies That Dumped 206 Pounds of Toxic Chemicals Into Our Waterways - Environment America's report also reveals the top 10 states for toxic dumping. . .

<> As President Mandates Pollinator Protection, EPA Lags Behind Science - (Beyond Pesticides, June 23, 2014) During the close of National Pollinator Week, the White House issued a Presidential Memorandum on pollinator health to the heads of federal agencies requiring action to "reverse pollinator losses and help restore populations to healthy levels."

<> Energy Department Invests $3.2 Million to Support Clean Energy Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs - June 20, 2014Energy Department Invests $3.2 Million to Support Clean Energy Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Secretary Moniz today announced $3.2 million to launch the National Incubator Initiative for Clean Energy. . .

<> Mayors Consider Climate & Energy Resolutions At Conference - The United States Conference of Mayors' 82nd Annual Meeting taking place June 20-23, 2014 in Dallas has the Mayors considering a number of climate and energy related resolutions. 

• All Proposed Resolutions (search Climate or Energy)

<> How 3D Printers Work - June 19, 2014How 3D Printers Work As part of our How Energy Works series, learn everything you need to know about 3D printers, from how they work to the different types of systems to the future of the technology. . .

U.S. Appeals Court Environmental Decisions

<> Utility Air Regulatory Group v. U.S. EPA - 6/23/14. In the U.S. Supreme Court, Docket No. 12–1146. Appealed from the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. The opinion indicates: "We must decide whether it was permissible for EPA to determine that its motor-vehicle greenhouse-gas regulations automatically triggered permitting requirements under the Act for stationary sources that emit greenhouse gases." The Majority concludes: "We hold that EPA exceeded its statutory authority when it interpreted the Clean Air Act to requirePSD and Title V permitting for stationary sources based on their greenhouse-gas emissions. . . The judgment of the Court of Appeals is affirmed in part and reversed in part."

• Complete background and details from the SCOTUS Blog
• NYT: "Justices, With Limits, Let E.P.A. Curb Power-Plant Gases"
• WSJ: "Supreme Court Reins In Some of EPA's Greenhouse-Gas Efforts"
• API welcomes high court decision EPA carbon rules - WASHINGTON, June 23, 2014 ─ API welcomed a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to curtail aspects of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from stationary. . .

<> Latin Am. for Soc. & Econ. Dev., et al. v. FHWA, et al. - 6/20/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Case Nos. 12-1556/1558. The Panel explains: "Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development and other plaintiffs sued the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and certain FHWA officials challenging the FHWA's Record of Decision (ROD) selecting the Delray neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan as the preferred location alternative for a new international bridge crossing between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. Plaintiffs claim that the ROD and preceding process violated the National Environmental Protection Act, Administrative Procedures Act, principles of environmental justice, and other federal laws. 
The district court granted the defendants' motion to affirm the ROD. For the reasons that follow, the decision of the district court is affirmed.

• U.S. appeals court upholds Detroit-Windsor bridge plan - A three-judge federal appeals court panel Friday upheld a decision by the Federal Highway Administration to select the Delray neighborhood of Detroit as the preferred location for a new. . .

<> Sacramento Municipal Utility District v. U.S. DOE - 6/20/14. In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, Case Nos. 2013-5086, -5087. SMUD agreed to pay $40 million into the Nuclear Waste Fund and DOE promised to begin accepting and disposing of SMUD's spent nuclear. The Panel reversed the combined judgment of $38,845,398 for the period of 1992–2009 and reinstated a prior $53,159,863 award for the period of 1992–2003.

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

1. Water - Notice. Request for Scientific Views - Extension of Request for Scientific Views for Updated National Recommended Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health PDF | Text |

(click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)

WIMS Environmental HotSheet 6/20/14

 

Subscribe by June 30, 2014 to avoid disruption in service 
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National / International News

 

<> Subcommittee Begins Oversight of EPA's Power Plan - The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), held a hearing to examine EPA's proposed new carbon dioxide regulations for existing power plants. . .

• GOP Hearing website with background, video, statements and testimony of Janet McCabe, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation
• DEMS Hearing website

<> EPW Republicans Request Hearing on President's Proposed Cap-and-Trade Rule - U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, along with all EPW Republican Senators sent a letter to EPW Chairman Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), requesting a Committee hearing, with federal witnesses, to examine the impacts of U.S. EPA's recently proposed regulations on carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants that is part of the President's Climate Action Plan.

<> NRDC: GOP Leaders Threaten Government Shutdown, This Time Over and Action - GOP lawmakers held the appropriation bills hostage with unrelated amendments -- riders would block EPA from addressing climate change and keeping pollution out of our water.

• House Republicans Are So Mad at the EPA that They Might Force Another Shutdown

<> New Analysis: America's Largest Companies are Jumping on Clean Energy Bandwagon and Saving More Than $1 Billion a Year - The nation's largest companies are leaving Washington gridlock on climate change behind and rapidly embracing renewable energy sourcing and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, according to a new report from. . .

<> Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Maintain Highway Trust Fund - U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) unveiled the first bipartisan proposal to shore up the Highway Trust Fund by making changes to the federal motor fuels tax, which funds improvements to roads, bridges and transit systems.

<> House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Clean Water Act Agricultural Exemptions - On Thursday, June 19, the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry of the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing entitled, "A Review of the Interpretive Rule regarding the applicability of Clean Water Act. . .

<> Groups seek internal government documents detailing back-room dealings on power plant water pollution - Environmental groups are filing a complaint against the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to compel the agency to release additional information about the roles OMB played in weakening EPA's proposed rules to satisfy the concerns of power companies.

<> BTLaw Alert: EPA Proposes to Drop 2005 ASTM Standard from AAI Rule - On June 17, EPA proposed to remove reference to the 2005 ASTM Phase I environmental site assessment standard (1527-05) from EPA's "All Appropriate Inquiry" (AAI) rule under the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

<> ARPA-E Announces 13 New Projects at New York Energy Week - ARPA-E Announces 13 New Projects at New York Energy Week Today at New York Energy Week, ARPA-E Acting Director Dr. Cheryl Martin announced $33 million in funding for 13 new projects aimed at developing transformational fuel cell technologies for low-cost distributed power generation.

<> FERC Approves Cameron LNG Liquefaction-Export Project - Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) announced today that its subsidiary Cameron LNG has received authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to site, construct and operate a natural gas liquefaction and export facility at the site of the company's LNG receipt terminal in Hackberry, LA

• FERC issues its decision on Cameron LNG export project

<> New Report: Water and Climate Risks Are a Growing Threat to U.S. Corn Production - A new Ceres report released today shows that water and climate change risks are rising in the $67 billion U.S. corn sector, contributing to production and price volatility and growing concern by corn buyers that the nation's. . .

<> Spokane to Vote on Monday to Ban Neonicotinoids - (Beyond Pesticides, June 19, 2014) The city of Spokane, Washington is inching ever closer to a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides, a class of chemicals that has been linked to the global disappearance of honey bee populations.

<> Will Energy East be operational before the Northern Gateway pipeline? - June 19, 2014 - 3:42pm The short answer is no, our commitment is stop both pipelines. The Enbridge Northern Gateway is a 1,177 kilometre 525,000 barrels per day pipeline westbound to the Pacific coast, while TransCanada. . .

<> NERC's Summer Reliability Assessment highlights regional electricity capacity margins - (Fri, 20 Jun 2014) The North American Electric Reliability Corporation's (NERC). . .

<> DOE Announces Webinars on Hydrogen Fueling for Current and Anticipated Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, Net Metering for Tribes, and More

<> Environmental Organizations to Sue Companies Owned by Coal Giant Jim Justice for Clean Water Violations

<> Groups Say BLM's Powder River Basin Coal and Gas Plan Out of Step with National Climate, Clean Energy Goals

 

Federal Register Highlights 

The following is an alert of Environmental Federal Register announcements that may be of interest for: Day, Month, date, 2014.  (Click here to access today's complete Federal Register index with links to complete announcements).

 

1. Nothing We're Tracking Today (click for the complete Energy & EPA announcements)